Description: A stiff rigid starfish with a sandpapery texture to the dorsal surface. This species comes in a variety of colour forms, purple being the most common. It is only distinguished from Henricia oculata by the very fine dorsal spinelets which have 3-6 glassy points. Usually about 12cm across.

Habitat: Occurs in a variety of moderately exposed and exposed habitats on rocks and amongst hydroids, sponges, etc.

Distribution: A northern species in the British Isles probably occurring with Henricia oculata on the west coast of Scotland. Records from further south are probably misidentifications.

Similar Species: It may be impossible to distinguish this species from Henricia oculata except in the laboratory. Many records from the UK are probably misidentifications of H. oculata.

Key Identification Features:

• Five tapering stiff arms.
• Sandpaper like texture.
• Dorsal spines with 3-6 sharp glassy points.

Distribution Map from NBN: Henricia sanguinolenta at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Henricia sanguinolenta at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Henricia sanguinolenta

WoRMS: Henricia sanguinolenta at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Henricia sanguinolenta (O.F. Müller, 1776). AphiaID: 123974.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Echinodermata; Asterozoa; Asteroidea; Ambuloasteroidea; Neoasteroidea; Spinulosacea; Spinulosida; Echinasteridae; Henricia